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Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Music: Primal Scream - More Light - Live EP review

Some bands just don’t know when to quit - and Primal Scream illustrate that point perfectly.

A few decades ago, the group produced an album that defined a generation – the seminal Screamadelica. The album fused the finer points of Acid House with the swagger and song writing prowess of Beggars Banquet era Rolling Stones.

Their 2001 album XTRMNTR broke new grounds with its William Gibson inspired imagery of industrial decay clashing with spiky electronica and fuzz-laden bass grooves that pushed the rock genre into new and exciting territory.

But with the last decade being punctuated by a few lacklustre pub rock releases, the prospect of a new live EP by the band fills most fans of the Scream with a feeling of indifference.

Primal Scream have a reputation for excellent live shows – they are one of those bands that feeds on a crowd, gobbling up its energy and transforming it into something special. What is apparent from the outset is that, unfortunately, this magic hasn’t been captured on More Light – Live.

EP opener 2013 sounds clichéd with its tired rock riffs and squawking saxophone. It’s Alright, It’s Okay is reminiscent of a pleasant parody of their feel-good anthem Movin’ on Up. However, Culturecide is without doubt the most arresting track with its brooding bass-line, driving beats and paranoid vocals.

Instead of capturing the sense of urgency and vitality of their live performances, More Light - Live has ended up feeling lazy, sounding more akin to a demo than a fully realised release.